1. Core Theme 5 Open Forum: Public Square
Icebreaker
Nametag Key
Faculty
Students
Staff
Administrators
What one thing stands out most from the previous sessions (i.e. the Kickoff, Core Theme 1 and 3 Open Forums, GER Open Forum)?
Pick the best answer from your table to share during introductions. 1

2. Overview of Core Theme 5 Public Square
Jennifer Brock

3. Institutional assessment
UAA’s mission statement:
The mission of the University of Alaska Anchorage is to discover and disseminate knowledge through teaching, research, engagement, and creative expression.
  Located in Anchorage and on community campuses in Southcentral Alaska, UAA is committed to serving the higher education needs of the state, its communities, and its diverse peoples.   The University of Alaska Anchorage is an open access university with academic programs leading to occupational endorsements; undergraduate and graduate certificates; and associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees in a rich, diverse, and inclusive environment.
UAA’s five core themes are aligned with the university’s mission to discover and disseminate knowledge, and serve the higher education needs of the state and its diverse communities in an open access environment
The core themes come from UAA Strategic Plan 2017

4. Some historical context
Core theme objectives, outcomes and indicators have evolved through continuous refinement and consultation
In March 2009, UAA’s institutional assessment plan had a total of 17 goals, 45 outcomes, and 160 indicators
Based on ongoing recommendations from NWCCU, UAA reduced the number of indicators, first to 44, then to 22, and finally to the current 16

5. Highlights from Midcycle Review (Fall 2014)
UAA was asked to again address Recommendation 1 of the Fall 2011 Year One Peer-Evaluation Report, i.e. “UAA should refine indicators of achievement to ensure the indicators are meaningful, direct measures of the objectives (Standard 1.B.2)”
“The Commission recommends that the University of Alaska Anchorage define mission fulfillment in the context of its purpose, characteristics, and expectations (Standard 1.A.2)”
This slide might focus more on the bigger picture– NWCCU asked us to refine our indicators; folks were asked to reflect on why the indicators were important to UAA, in what ways they are meaningful, and how they are used in decision making.
“The Commission encourages the institution to build upon its Mid-Cycle Evaluation efforts and to utilize its assessment strategies toward producing data-driven student learning outcomes that inform mission fulfillment and sustainability”

6. Institutional Assessment Plan
Final version of Institutional Assessment Plan approved by the Chancellor’s Cabinet in February 2015, following presentations and discussions that included faculty, student, and staff governance
What were the factors in deciding these final indicators?

7. Engaging UAA in the indicator rationale (Sp15-F15)
Governance and leadership groups were asked, “In what ways is this indicator meaningful to your work? Why is it useful to the institution? What does it tell us? How does it help us move forward in the objective?”
Groups consulted included:
USUAA
FS Academic Assessment Committee
FS Research & Creative Activity Committee
FS Student Academic Support & Success
FS Diversity Committee
Research Council
Diversity Action Council
Student Affairs leadership team
Advancement leadership team
Administrative Services leadership team (ASSET)
Staff Council
Community Engagement Council
The overarching goal is to look on a macro level. If it looks like there are issues, then recommend to Cabinet to go deeper into the data– at Core Theme 1, folks were trying to do the deeper dive– that’s only needed when it looks like we are not meeting our goals

8. Engaging groups in analyzing the data (Sp16)
A feedback instrument was developed and sent to the same groups consulted about the rationale
How well is UAA doing in meeting this objective?
What would you recommend to move the needle on this?
What has the group done to move the needle?
For future assessments, would you change or improve the indicator?
Core Theme
Indicators Assessment
(CTIA) Instrument
You will use these preliminary results as a base for your reflection today
Again, folks need to think on a higher level

9. Core Theme 5: Public Square
Core Theme Objectives
Core Theme Indicators
UAA engages in mutually beneficial partnerships with the communities we serve
The degree to which a partnership portfolio demonstrates diverse partnerships across public-private sectors, agencies and communities
Number of UAA colleges which have developed engagement guidelines for faculty promotion and tenure

10. Core Theme 5 data
UAA IR gathered the data related to the Core Theme Objectives and Indicators and completed a first-level analysis
OAA sent the Core Theme Indicators Assessment (CTIA) Instrument to groups on campus whose work directly connects to the particular Core Theme Indicators
Results of the CTIA Instrument constitute the 2nd level analysis
Groups asked to look at Core Theme 5:
Advancement Leadership Team
Community Engagement Council
We are gathered here today to complete the 3rd level analysis

11. Data: Indicator 1
The degree to which a partnership portfolio demonstrates diverse partnerships across public-private sectors, agencies and communities
AY16
Target
Partnership portfolio
See attachment
Source: Community Engagement Council; Center for Community Engagement and Learning
UAA’s partnership portfolio started as the 15 partnerships that were prepared for its Carnegie Foundation “Engaged University” application
Carnegie model focuses on academic partnerships for engagement
Draws distinction between engagement and outreach
The attachment shows the current partnerships that are part of the portfolio, and note that some partnerships have been completed and archived
Maybe instead of talking about the data, talk about the rationale (and let them know a bit about the data they will be looking at– e.g. how many years, why that many, where does the data come from, benchmark/target, etc.

12. Indicator 1: Partnership portfolio
Distinction between outreach and partnership (Carnegie Foundation)
Outreach is defined as the provision of institutional resources for community use in ways that benefited both the campus and the community.
Partnership is defined as collaborations and faculty scholarship that constitute a beneficial exchange, exploration, discovery, and application of knowledge, information, and resources.

13. Indicator 1: Partnership portfolio
Partnerships currently part of portfolio are divided into themes
Partnerships selected for inclusion in the partnership portfolio based on three dimensions: the extent to which the partnerships are
Deep – relationships reflect reciprocity, mutual respect, shared authority, and co-creation of goals and outcomes
Pervasive – change crosses unit boundaries and reaches different parts of the educational institution
Integrated – has aligned and been interwoven with other campus offices and initiatives for “holistic and interdependent approaches to institutional priorities” (Saltmarsh, Janke & Clayton, 2016, p.3)

14. Data: Indicator 2
Number of UAA colleges which have developed engagement guidelines for faculty promotion and tenure
AY16
Target
Colleges with engagement guidelines
100%
80%
A review of college level guidelines written for faculty promotion and tenure and filed with the Office of Academic Affairs
In addition to six colleges with these guidelines approved at college level, College of Health has them approved at department level
Source: Office of Faculty Services
Measure of UAA's commitment to enhance the breadth of engagement on.
First step toward focusing on the pervasiveness of engagement throughout the colleges, providing a clear signal to faculty that the university values community engagement and that it is an important component of faculty work.
By integrating engagement guidelines into faculty promotion and tenure guidelines, UAA is committing real resources, as faculty are one of the most important resources of a university.

15. First Breakout: Assessment
You have in front of you the data relative to Core Theme 5, as well as an initial evaluation completed by various on-campus groups.
To what extent do you agree with their assessment?
Why or why not?
Parking lot for questions about the data or indicators
What would your assessment be? Does not make sense, or the tables did not interpret it the same way we did.

16. Second Breakout: Hidden Stories
Are there other stories that demonstrate performance with respect to this objective?
Keep in mind that the partnerships should be
Deep – relationships reflect reciprocity, mutual respect, shared authority, and co-creation of goals and outcomes
Pervasive – change crosses unit boundaries and reaches different parts of the educational institution
Integrated – has aligned and been interwoven with other campus offices and initiatives for “holistic and interdependent approaches to institutional priorities” (Saltmarsh, Janke & Clayton, 2016, p.3)
Are there any themes missing from the partnership portfolio?
Need to show mission fulfillment– those are the stories we need

17. Third Breakout: Moving the needle
If we could do one thing to make our partnerships more pervasive and integrated in the next 2-3 years, what do you as a group recommend?
How would you know it worked?
How would we build that into our planning?
In case you need a reminder on what the criteria mean:
Pervasive – change crosses unit boundaries and reaches different parts of the educational institution
Integrated – has aligned and been interwoven with other campus offices and initiatives for “holistic and interdependent approaches to institutional priorities” (Saltmarsh, Janke & Clayton, 2016, p.3)
How to build into planning didn’t really work

18. UAA 2020: Identifying Platforms of Excellence
What is the best thing you have ever seen accomplished in the area of Public Square at UAA?

19. UAA 2020: Identifying Platforms of Excellence
Please identify a “platform of excellence” in relation to Public Square (these may be academic programs, Co-curricular programs, or support services) in your experience at UAA.
Does this “platform of excellence” reflect any of the core values you have specified for UAA? Please specify which core value(s).

20. UAA 2020: Identifying Platforms of Excellence
How do we compare with our peers institutions in relation to the aforementioned “platform of excellence”? (circle one)
Unfavorably
Roughly equally
Favorably
Very favorably

21. UAA 2020: Identifying Platforms of Excellence
What next level of attainment is possible for the “platform of excellence” identified? What inhibits this further attainment?

22. The Journey Continues. . . More Open Forums – LIB 307 Date Time
Friday 10/28
9:00-11:00
UAA Community (Core Theme 4)
Friday 11/4
Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity (Core Theme 2)
Friday 11/11
10:00-11:30
Gen Ed Assessment Workshop 2: Outcomes and Rubric
Friday 11/18
Gen Ed Assessment Workshop 3: Rubric and Student Work
Friday 12/2
Bringing It All Together: Summary of Core Theme Sessions
Friday 12/9
Gen Ed Open Forum
Friday 2/24
Core Theme Discussion of Findings